Here is a short review I sent out to a horror mag I hope to do some writing for in the future. For those horror fans who haven’t seen the Death Waltz releases, they are primo classy.

The House by the Cemetery
Score by Walter Rizzati
Directed by Lucio Fulci
Exclusive new cover art by Graham Humphreys

Prog rock-inspired scores brought a new twist to the tone of horror movies in the seventies. Influential films like Dawn of the Dead helped marry the prog-style soundtrack with the new wave of gory horror creating a new standard for neo-gothic narratives. For fans of Lucio Fulci’s unique brand of non-linear storytelling, Walter Rizzati’s score for the third installment of the unofficial Gates of Hell trilogy is a solid listen. Now available on LP through Death Waltz Records, a label dedicated to reissuing seminal and somewhat lost horror soundtracks, Rizzati’s music adds considerable atmosphere to the experience of The House by the Cemetery. The synth heavy score compliments the eerie and gory elements of the film and solidifies Fulci’s vision. Death Waltz celebrates long out of print horror scores like with high-end vinyl releases. The album as a product harkens back the old philosophy of vinyl releasing by including treats like album art posters and record flats. The art comes from veteran movie poster artist Graham Humphreys; it’s a wonderfully gory reimagining of images from the film. Humphreys’ credits include posters for The Evil Dead and A Nightmare on Elm Street along with loads of cult and horror DVD covers. For fans of Italian horror, House by the Cemetery is essential listening.